Karzai support Ulema’s declaration on Gender Segregation

Afghan President Hamid Karzai defended the latest declaration of the Afghan Ulema (Scholars) Council regarding the Gender Segregation in Afghanistan and said the decelaration was made to support the women’s rights in the country.

Afghan Uleman Council following its decleration last week emphasized for the seperation of girls and women from men in working, education and other environments and insisted that women should prevent travelling without close relatives or men that have legal relations with them.

Women right advocates objected the decleration and called it inexecutable and efforts for the implementation of Taliban ideology in a bid pave the way for peace talks with the Taliban group.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Tuesday following a press conference with the president of Poland Bronislaw Komorowski said he is committed to the conditions announced by the Afghan Ulema Council.

He said, the Uleman Council of Afghanistan on last Friday following their declaration which is published monthly, announced the Islamic principles and values to support the stance of women.

President Karzai also said, this is a religious perspective for our nation and all the muslims in Afghanistan remains committed to it.

The Afghan Ulema Council is not a governmental institution however they are having extraordinary influence inside the Afghan government where Afghan president Hamid Karzai give importance towards the religious and political advices of the of the Ulema Council.

In parts of his speech president Karzai said there have been some latest developments over strategic pact talks between Afghanistan and Washington.

This comes as reports suggested strategic pact talks between Afghanistan and Washington was delayed due to increasing pressures by the Afghan government on US side to halt night time raids in Afghanistan.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai said he had discussed the strategic pact with the US officials on Monday however he did not disclose further information.

President Karzai once again emphasized to halt night time military raids and hand over the Bagram prison where al Qaeda and Taliban detainees are kept.

He said efforts have been put in place to consider the national interest for both the nations during talks over strategic pact between Afghanistan and Washington.

Talks over strategic pact between Afghanistan and Washington was initiated around a year back with an intention to sign a long term strategic cooperation agreement between the two nations which will allow the United States to have military installations in Afghanistan.

Afghan government in November last year formed a traditional Loya Jirga where the tribal elders from various regions of the country agreed with the strategic pact agreement between the two nations and formation of US military bases in the country.

The tribal elders who gathered in the Loya Jirga also asked for an immediate halt to night time military operations and transfer of US run detention facilities to Afghan lead.

However NATO officials emphasize on the importance of night time military operations to crack down the militants.